and
the Mines, Mills and Railroads of Gilpin County Colorado

The story of the Gilpin County and the Gold Tram starts in
April of 1859 when John H Gregory started up Clear Creek from Golden
searching for gold. Gold flakes were being found in the creek, so the
question was, where was the gold coming from. Working up the
creek and following the north branch of Clear Creek at what is now know as
Forks (for years, a station and restaurant, now a traffic light),
Gregory found the richest gold dust in what is now called Gregory Gulch
above Black Hawk. The Gregory Lode had been found.

The news of gold hit the nation. By September, a
population of 900 in log shanties and tents had invaded the valley. By
the summer of 1860 sixty ore mills and thirty arastras (a kind of ore
grinding pit) were in operation and the population had risen to 15,000.
Soon numerous mining camps had sprung up including Black Hawk, Central City,
Nevadaville, Russell Gulch and Apex.

The primary purpose of this site is to document through
photos, history and documents the Gilpin Tramway and the mines, mills, towns
and other railroads that serviced the rich mining veins of Gilpin County
Colorado.

In addition, it documents a virtual model I am constructing
of the Gilpin Tramway and Colorado and Southern in Gilpin County using the
Trainz software.

Web

www.gilpintram.com

The Gilpin Tramway Company was a two-foot gauge railroad
around Black Hawk and Central City Colorado serving the mines and mills of
one of the richest gold strikes in US history. Construction was
started in May of 1887 with the first shipment over the rails on December
11, 1887. Consistent profits over the years encouraged the
Colorado and Southern to purchase the Tram on June 27, 1906.
Unfortunately, the ebb and flow of the mining industry had started into
decline. Profits turned into losses, and the last train ran on
January 12, 1917.